Students at Highline High School Rallied for Healthier Hearts by Holding ‘Red Out’

Highline High School turned RED on Dec. 14, when Pirate fans held their second annual “Red Out” in the spirit of raising awareness about heart disease – our nation’s No. 1 killer – as well as raising donations for the American Heart Association.

The student body of Highline raised almost $800 for the American Heart Association, and also trained over 45 people to do “hands only” CPR.

The Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department was on hand to give free blood pressure checks as spectators entered the building.

In addition, one of Highline’s staff members spoke at halftime about his experience with heart disease, the necessity to know CPR and the importance of donating to the American Heart Association.

A special thanks goes to ASB Treasurer Austin Sita and AHA representative Dawn McCutcheon for their efforts in making this annual event a success.

“Austin worked closely with Dawn to make this event a success for Highline High School and for the American Heart Association,” said Activities Coordinator Lori Box. “Through his efforts, our student body has been educated on the risks of heart disease.”

Here are photos from the event courtesy Lori Box (click images to see larger versions):

It’s not too late to donate on behalf of Highline High School – click here to make your donation. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading killer of Americans, leading to one death every 39 seconds. That’s 2,200 women, men, and children per day. Research funded by the American Heart Association has yielded major advances, such as the heart-lung machine, CPR/ AED, life-extending drugs, pacemakers, bypass surgery and surgical techniques to repair heart defects and save lives. Currently the heart association has $4.9 million invested in research projects throughout the state of Washington. The American Heart Association is also dedicated to heart disease and stroke prevention by teaching all Americans, from children to adults, the value of healthy lifestyles and providing them with tools to make positive lifestyle changes.